"ملف 19/118 (C 7) البحرين" [و‎‎٥‎٠] (٢١٥/١١٠)

No. 72 of 1801.
To
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT.
SECRET.
External.
T he R ight H on'ble LORD GEORGE E. HAMILTON,
His Majesty''s Secretary of State for India,
S imla, the Oth May 1901,
My Lord,
We have the honour to forward copies of the correspondence noted
From the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, in the margin, regarding the COUl 'Se to be
1 dat<!d the 24th December pursued by our Assistant Political Agent
^4 To the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, at Bahrein in Connection with any mer-
| No. 708 e..a ., dated the 4th May 1901. ^ cantile or other disputes which may arise
between subjects of the Sheikh of Bahrein and a German firm which proposes
to open a commercial agency in the island.
2. We trust that the instructions which we have given to Lieutenant-
Colonel Kemball will meet with the approval of His Majesty's Government.
At the same time we desire to add that the position is not in our opinion
altogether satisfactory, nor is it one which is likely to be permanent. In pro
portion as the subjects of foreign Powers settle in Bahrein for purposes of trade,
so will cases that raise the question of the nature and extent of the British
protectorate become more frequent and perhaps troublesome ; and it is for
consideration whether some steps should not be taken at an early date to place
our position in Bahrein upon a more assured and definite footing.
3. , We shall be grateful for the opinion of His Majesty's Government on
this point.
We have the honour to be,
My Lord, .
Your Lordship's most obedient, humble servants,
(Signed) CURZON.
A. P. PALMER.
C. M. RIVAZ.
T. RALEIGH.
>j E. E.-G. LAW,
E. R. ELLES.